Dhaka, Nov 16 (V7N)- Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, head of the National White Paper Committee, has criticized the GDP growth narrative presented by the ousted Awami League (AL) government, calling it misleading and manipulated.

“The GDP figures did not represent the actual economic reality. The growth figure was fabricated,” he remarked during a policy dialogue on "Financial and Economic Reforms in Bangladesh 2024" at BRAC University today.

He accused the AL government of politicizing economic data, highlighting discrepancies such as a lack of private investment despite reported GDP growth and a stagnant Tax-GDP ratio. “They spent money to showcase visible development,” he added.

Debapriya, also a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), alleged that the previous government targeted the financial and energy sectors for systemic wealth extraction.

“An anti-reform and corrupt alliance was formed among dishonest politicians, businessmen, and bureaucrats to plunder state resources,” he claimed, adding that key institutions were undermined, leaving the nation in a precarious state.

He further criticized the central bank, alleging it enabled misappropriation in the banking sector instead of exercising oversight.

Stressing the urgency of economic stability, Debapriya emphasized maintaining exchange rate balance and controlling inflation as critical for ensuring public support for reforms. “Without stability, even democratic transformation will face significant hurdles,” he warned.

The policy dialogue, moderated by Prof. Mohammad Mujibul Haque, associate dean of BRAC Business School, explored reform proposals across sectors, including banking, the stock market, and revenue collection.

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